Mario Power Tennis

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We took to the courts in the latest demo. Full impressions.

By Juan Castro

Nintendo showed off the bulk of their wares today, during the last phase of its Gamer's Summit in Seattle. Mario Power Tennis made an appearance as a key part of Nintendo's upcoming holiday lineup. Representatives highlighted new courts and mini-games, as well as the game's opening cinematic. After the short presentation, Nintendo let loose the band of journalists and editors at the event so they could practice their swing. We grabbed the nearest controller to bring you this update.

As fans of the series know, the latest installment in the Mario Tennis series, now titled Mario Power Tennis, plays out like a steroid-infused version of its predecessor. The Power in Mario Power Tennis comes from special power moves that each character in the game possesses.

Every character gets two unique power moves; one enhancing offensive capabilities and one enhancing defensive capabilities. Each power strengthens a player's attack in some unique way. We decided to check out the powers of a few previously ignored characters.

When playing Daisy, you'll notice her special moves reflect her character. Meaning, of course, that they're extremely girly. One of her special moves causes a flowerbed to sprout at her feet for example. Shy Guy, on the other and, dons a tribal skirt and shield and causes a bolt of lighting to strike his racket. Diddy Kong switches from hands to tail to deliver a powerful swing.

Donkey Kong uses a DK barrel to blast himself at his opponents. Once a given character's racket is infused with energy (flower power, lightning power, what have you) their swing causes the ball to sail at high speeds, making them much harder to hit. Conversely, using your defensive powers will help you in those tight spots when diving to strike incoming balls.

We also had the chance to play a few matches in Wario's Factory. It's a little trickier playing in Wario's domain than, say, Peach Dome. Here, you'll need to battle opponents with the added challenge of conveyor belts located beneath your feet. Directional arrows floating near the middle of the court cause the belts to move.